Becoming One
by abignobody
Summary: After the events of Toradora, Ryuuji and Taiga settle into their new lives together. Mostly fluff.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1 - Reunion**

* * *

The tiger was grumpy on her walk home.

Ryuuji could be such a bonehead sometimes. She had wanted his confession to be anywhere but at that school. She wanted it to be a more romantic setting, perhaps out on a date, where Taiga would be wearing her black dress and Ryuuji would look at her lovingly across the dinner table, and with an uncharacteristic break in his stoicism, he would softly say "I love you," as he caressed her hands with his own.

Yes, Taiga already had the whole scenario mapped out in her head. Unfortunately, he said it after finding her hiding in a classroom locker like a piece of discarded reading material. The confession caught her so off guard that her immediate reflex was to headbutt him and berate him with her usual verbal lashings.

 _Stupid dog_ , she thought to herself. _This is so typical of him_.

And yet, underneath her irritation, she felt a warm glow somewhere inside of her. It was a mixture of bliss and elation and butterflies and calmness and victory. Those words had lifted a weight off her shoulders that she didn't even know was there. Underneath her grumpy exoskeleton, the tiger was truly happy.

Of course, she'd never admit all of that to Ryuuji.

"What are you smiling about?" His voice was tinged with amusement.

Taiga found herself stunned momentarily. Ryuuji's sudden question had pulled her out of her cloud of smug satisfaction.

"It's been a long time since you've cooked for me."

"Yes, it has. Tonight, I'll cook you anything you want. Take your pick."

"Hmm..." Taiga tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Meat."

"More specific."

"Hmph. How about your signature pork cutlets?"

"I'll make you the best pork cutlets you've ever tasted."

"You better."

The tiger and the dragon continued their walk home with cat-like grins plastered on their faces. After some time, Ryuuji broke the silence again.

"Taiga."

"Hm?"

"Did you learn how to cook while you were out on your own?"

Taiga huffed indignantly. "Of course. I wanted to learn how to take care of myself. I'm not the best chef by any means, but I can make a few things."

"You'll have to cook for me sometime then."

"Obviously. A master must never forget to feed her dog."

Ryuuji stared at Taiga quizzically for a moment.

"...Are you going to feed me kibble?"

Three blocks away, a child playing on the sidewalk heard what sounded like a slap in the distance.

...

"Taiga, we were so worried about you!" Yasuko hadn't loosened her bear hug on the poor girl since she had walked through the door.

"Mm srry fr makig yu wrry," Taiga said meekly, her face buried in Yasuko's chest.

Yasuko pulled away for a moment and held Taiga at arm's length. "I'm just so glad you're back! Ryuuji was asking every day, 'Do you think Taiga's alright? Do you think she's okay?' We were just..." She pulled Taiga back into her suffocating embrace. "So LONELY!"

From inside the hug of death, Taiga shot a sideways glance at Ryuuji. He didn't meet her eyes. He was too busy staring at the ground and blushing. Taiga bit her tongue to stop herself from giggling.

Ryuuji coughed sheepishly and cleared his throat. "I'm going to get started on dinner then."

Yasuko's demeanor changed immediately. "Ooh! What are we having?"

"Prk cutlss", declared a muffled voice from her boobs.

...

Despite the passage of time, dinner at Ryuuji's place was mostly the same as it'd always been. Taiga had been stuffing her face with food while she tried to tell the two about her experiences over the past few months. (Ryuuji scolded her at least three times to 'swallow, them talk'). From what Ryuuji DID manage to comprehend, he gathered that she had stayed in contact with her parents, but told them she didn't want any more of their money. She got a job at a sweets shop and had saved up enough cash to rent out a small apartment for a few months. She said she learned how to clean up after herself, and that she kept her place in spotless condition.

"But most importantly..." she had said in between mouthfuls of rice, "it had a STOVE."

She described her experiences in cooking with all the extravagance and gall of an experienced dramatist. She told of her first experiment in the culinary arts, which ended in her almost burning her apartment down. So did the second and third. By the fourth time, however, all she burned was the pan she was cooking with. By the seventh attempt, she had produced a meal that she described only as "edible". After many more attempts, she had memorized a few recipes and was able to follow most others as they were outlined in her cookbook. Overall, she sounded confident in her abilities as a chef, and Ryuuji could not have been more proud.

...

After dinner, Ryuuji moved to the kitchen to wash the dishes.

 _Who knows_ , he thought to himself, cleaning a glass in one hand, _maybe I'll appoint her as my sous chef one day_.

He glanced at Taiga beside him. She was washing plates with practiced efficacy.

 _Or maybe she'll surpass me altogether._

...

Ryuuji stepped out of the shower and changed into a T-Shirt and a pair of sweatpants. During the summer, it could be uncomfortably hot to wear sweatpants at night, but he was never keen on wearing just his boxers when Taiga was staying over. She'd probably call him a pervert, a dog, a pervert-dog, and any other insults she could think of off the top of her head.

Still, it's not like he would have minded. In fact, at that moment, he would have found comfort in one of her tirades. It had been so long since he had received one.

As he stood in his bedroom, drying his hair and thinking about tigers, he heard a small voice coming from the living room.

"Hey."

Ryuuji turned to see Taiga standing demurely at the doorframe. She had one hand on the door post, and she was gazing at Ryuuji with her head slightly bowed. She was wearing her frilly white nightgown that he thought made her look like a doll, perfect in her innocence and purity. She was blushing.

Ryuuji felt a pang in his chest.

"Hey."

Taiga held her gaze for a moment longer before breaking it and staring at her feet.

"Ryuuji, I was wondering if you... wanted to..."

"...Taiga?"

Taiga looked back up and made eye contact with Ryuuji, her stare now filled with determination and resolve. "If you wanted to cuddle."

Ryuuji's heart skipped a beat. His brain lost the capacity to form a coherent thought. His lips felt impossibly chapped. It took everything in his power to croak out a single word.

"Yes."

Taiga paused for a moment, not reacting to his answer. Then, slowly, she walked over towards Ryuuji's bed. He lifted the covers, and the two climbed in wordlessly. As Taiga settled down in front of him, Ryuuji wrapped his arms around her small frame, pulling her face into his chest. He felt her body heat against him. In that moment, he knew that he would never want to let her go. Not when the morning came, not during the next night, not ever so long as he drew breath. He wanted to stay like this for as long he possibly could. She was just so small, so vulnerable, that every fiber in his being yearned to protect her from the outside world, to hide her away from everyone and everything, to hold her all for himself.

As his emotions swelled, Ryuuji could not stop himself from saying what he said next, not that he would have wanted to anyways.

"I love you, Taiga."

Ryuuji felt Taiga's body go tense for a second before relaxing. When she spoke, it was so quiet that Ryuuji could not hear her reply, but he could tell what she had said from the vibrations in his chest.

"I love you too."

* * *

 **Author's Note: Thanks for reading! I was struck with a hollow feeling after finishing Toradora for the first time earlier, so I wrote some fluff to fill the gaping hole in my heart. This is my first time publishing anything under a specific name, although I have written short one-off fics for other communities anonymously. As such, any and all feedback/criticism is greatly appreciated; I do want to improve as much as I can. I may continue this particular story but no guarantees.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 - A New Summer**

* * *

A stray sunbeam struck Ryuuji's face and woke him from his slumber.

He grunted and took a few moments to blink the sleep from his eyes. As he looked around the room to orient himself, his eyes lingered on the alarm clock on his nightstand. 8:20.

 _Ugh, I'm going to be late for school._

He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration.

 _Wait, today is Saturday._

He blinked a few more times.

 _Wait, it's summer._

This realization helped shake off the last bits of drowsiness still clinging to him. As his brain returned to full capacity, all of his memories of the previous day came flooding back to him. He had graduated high school, it was summer vacation, Taiga was back, and now the two could spend their time together

 _Taiga._

Ryuuji looked down and saw a matted tuft of brown hair. He looked further down and saw her mouth was wide open, and she was drooling slightly in her sleep. Ryuuji suppressed a laugh. Right now, she was a far cry from the angelic creature that had approached him the night before. However, he saw a different kind of beauty in her now. She was comfortable, safe, and trusting enough of Ryuuji that the two could share a bed. It felt like home. He hoped he could see her like this every day.

He gently roused the tiger from her sleep.

"Good morning, Taiga."

"Mmmgh. Good morning." She buried her face back into his chest, and Ryuuji felt his heart melt all over again.

"Hey."

"Hmm?"

"I love you, you know."

Taiga looked up at him and furrowed her brow in mock exasperation. "Idiot. Don't say it all the time or it'll lose it's meaning."

"What if it's true all the time?"

She poked Ryuuji playfully on the tip of his nose. "Then show me with your actions, not your words."

"Then how about I make you breakfast?"

"Perfect." Taiga smiled and closed her eyes again.

Ryuuji went to stand up, but Taiga pulled him back down onto the bed. He found himself unable to break her grip; her arms were locked firmly behind his back.

When Ryuuji had first met Taiga, he wondered how so much strength could be contained in such a tiny body. Now, he found himself asking the same question again over a year later.

Ryuuji sighed.

"Taiga."

"Almost done."

"..."

"..."

"If you wan-"

"Okay, I release you."

Ryuuji felt Taiga loosen her grip. He stood up from the bed and stretched his arms lazily. As he went to leave the room, he turned back one more time to look at his other half. Her eyes were still closed, but her features were graced with a contented smile.

He turned and walked out towards the kitchen.

 _I am going to make the most delicious breakfast ever concocted by man._

...

"No, really. What did you put in that omelette?"

"Love."

"Ryuuji, we both know that's not an actual cooking ingredient."

"It is when I cook."

"You're never going to tell me, are you?"

"Nope."

"Fine then. When I cook for you, I won't tell you my recipes either."

"That's fair." Ryuuji glanced at the brooding tiger walking beside him. "Actually, aren't you cooking for me tonight?"

"Yes. And I'm not telling you what it is."

"It won't be poisonous, will it?"

"That's not funny."

"Right, right. Sorry." Ryuuji paused for a moment. "I am proud of you, though."

Taiga's cheeks turned red. "What do you mean?"

"For learning how to cook, for learning how to clean up after yourself, for learning how to be independent..."

Taiga was still blushing and staring abashedly at her feet as she walked. "It was nothing, really..."

"Even if it was nothing, I'm still proud of you."

Taiga found herself at a loss for words. Ryuuji noticed the silence and glanced over to see her gripping the edges of her skirt.

Ryuuji sighed and put his hands behind his head. "Now it seems like the tiger and the dragon are finally on equal footing."

"Thank you, Ryuuji."

"Hmm, for what?"

"For waiting for me."

Ryuuji's normally stern visage softened a little. "I'd wait for you forever, Taiga."

Taiga tried to inconspicuously wipe a tear from her eyes with her sleeve. Ryuuji pretended not to notice.

She cleared her throat before responding. "I'm glad."

Neither of the two said anything for a time. The two walked, and the comfortable silence that hung in the air spoke for both of them.

. . .

Taiga rolled the rice in between her hands before compressing it into a neat little ball.

Although it wasn't the most complex recipe, it was one that she had confidence in. However, she had another reason for choosing to make rice balls in particular. Once, while they were still in school, she, Ryuuji, and friends had visited Minorin's house for a group study session. Minorin had made everyone _onigiri_ that were stuffed with seasoned beef. Ryuuji had tried one and said, "Man, nothing beats a well made rice ball."

Taiga wasn't really sure why she remembered this. It was such a minor comment, made such a long time ago, yet it had stuck with her all this time. Is this what love is? Does love give you the power to remember everything someone says? Is it romantic to have remembered him saying that or is it just creepy?

"You're smiling again."

Taiga jumped and pulled back her fist reflexively. As she turned to face the source of the noise, she only saw Ryuuji leaning on the counter beside her and wearing an amused smirk.

"Idiot. Don't scare me like that."

"Or what, you'll punch me in the face with a fistful of rice?"

"Yes, and you would deserve it."

Taiga returned to her work. Ryuuji watched the rice glide from one tiny hand to the other, before spontaneously appearing as a perfectly spherical ball. As she set it down on the tray beside her, she picked up another handful of rice with her left hand. She repeated this process, and each time Ryuuji marveled at her speed and fluidity.

The spell was broken when her hands suddenly froze in place, a half-molded ball of rice between them.

"Do you really have to watch?"

Ryuuji glanced upwards. Taiga's face was twisted into an annoyed grimace, but her cheeks were flushed pink.

"Oh, um, sorry..." he sputtered. "I just thought you looked cool."

Taiga's blush immediately darkened into a crimson red. "How? I'm literally just making rice balls!"

"You're just... it's like... um..." Ryuuji's wild eyes met Taiga's, and for a moment, the two simply stared at one another, unable to break the tense silence. Ryuuji suddenly became aware that his cheeks felt hot as well. "Keep up the good work!" Ryuuji lamely declared even as he bolted out of the kitchen.

Taiga watched over her shoulder as Ryuuji disappeared from view. Once she was sure he was gone, she squealed to herself and stomped her feet out of either frustration or excitement. Perhaps it was a bit of both.

On the other side of the apartment, Ryuuji stared at himself in the bathroom mirror. "Oh man," he sighed, "I've got it bad." Even as he resigned himself to his fate, he saw the corners of his mouth curl up slightly in his reflection.

. . .

"Dinner. Is. Served!"

Taiga set down the plates with an exaggerated flair. She sat down across from Ryuuji and crossed her arms, seemingly satisfied with herself.

Ryuuji raised an eyebrow at her. Taiga only raised an eyebrow in return. "Well? Aren't you going to try it?"

As he inspected the meal before him, his eyebrow raised even higher. There were six perfectly symmetrical rice balls on the plate, three on each side. Each one was garnished with a different herb, and a streak of soy sauce ran down the middle of the plate, neatly bisecting the dish.

"It looks like something a fancy restaurant would serve."

Taiga puffed up her chest. "Why, thank you."

Ryuuji picked up a rice ball with his chopsticks and tentatively raised it to his mouth.

"That one is beef," Taiga proclaimed proudly. "There's also salmon, pickled plums, and um..." She scratched her head.

"This one is tuna."

"Oh! Yeah, there was tuna, and also... woah."

"What?"

"You already ate four of them?"

"Yeah, they're really good." Ryuuji declared through a mouthful of tuna. He was still chewing when he raised a fifth rice ball to his mouth.

"What happened to 'chew, then swallow?'" Taiga placed her hands on her hips and huffed in satisfaction. "Still, I'm glad you like it."

Ryuuji was nearly as impressed with her confidence as he was with her cooking. He was secretly hoping to see her blush again after he complimented her food, but it seemed that she knew her skill level was something to be proud of.

He leaned back and placed a hand on his stomach. "Thank you for the meal."

Taiga grinned from ear to ear. "Anytime."

. . .

The shower had always been a safe haven for Ryuuji. It was a place of isolation, a secret getaway where he could process his thoughts and emotions without interference. Usually, he would hide in the shower when he was abnormally stressed. He would stay and brood until he could reset his mentality, so that he could come out and face the world feeling refreshed.

But today, Ryuuji found himself grinning uncontrollably under the hot water.

 _I'm going to look like a psycho if I go out like this_ , he thought to himself. _I'll probably scare everyone off again. So I have... to regain... control._

With all his might, he corralled his facial expression into a repressed grimace. He held steady, but only for a few seconds. Eventually, inevitably, the grin returned in full.

He began chuckling to himself. _This is so absurd, how could I not smile?_

After some time, he stepped out of the shower, still smirking slightly. As he exited the bathroom, he glanced at the doorway to the living room. No one was there. He sighed and made his way to his bed.

As he prepared to climb under the covers, he froze. There was an odd lump under the covers, and he heard a strange, steady noise.

He gently lifted the sheets to see Taiga, already asleep in his bed. Even in the low light, she looked perfectly graceful. Her slow breathing was the only sound in a silent room.

Ryuuji felt his mouth begin to twitch again.


End file.
